Catalogue description Vestry Minutes

From 1894 (Local Government Act 1894) the volume contains minutes of the Parish Meeting as well as of the Vestry.

In general, the Vestry minutes contain regular parish business: appointment of officers; making the poor and church rates; examining and allowing the accounts; consideration of appeals from paupers for increased allowances, etc.

The minutes also include:-

f.9r Agreements by women paupers to undertake nursing in the parish whenever required, in return for parish relief, 1864;

f.30v agreement concerning the winding of the church clock, 1866;

ff.28v,30, matters concerning the Longbacked Houses, used as a workhouse: 78,79,81-84discussions on their repair, and whether to let or sell them, 1866-1870;

ff.36v-37v gift of land by Lady Pechell to the west of the churchyard, which will be enlarged thereby, 1867;

f.41v agreement by Walter G. Barker to act as medical officer to the parish, 1867;

ff.48,78r decisions concerning £450 worth of bonds relating to East Preston Union, 1867, 1870;

f.57r agreement by G. Worthington to act as medical officer, and to include the issue of medical certificates to those poor who belong to a Benefit Society; vaccinations to be an extra charge, 1868;

f.75v minute concerning the election of two Trustees for the Olders Charity, 1869 [references to the Charity's accounts occur thereafter between 1888 and 1902, with balance sheets etc., and with occasional mention also of Smart's and Amoore's Charities, notably on f.161, 1895],

f.88r decision to buy a new pair of handcuffs, "the old ones being too small", 1872;

f.90r minute concerning the diversion of a footpath, 1873;

f.93r minute concerning the stopping up of a highway, 1873;

f.95r agreement to let a piece of land given by Lady Burrell for a churchyard and not yet required, 1874;

f.107r agreement to appeal against the new basis for the county rate, 1878;

f.108r decision to apply to the County Authority to take over certain roads, 1878;

f.109r consideration of changes to the chancel in order to make an organ chamber, with a guarantee by Sir Henry Fletcher, to bear the whole expense [letter of guarantee attached to folio], 1879;

f.122r resolution concerning the rating basis for owners and occupiers, 1883;

f.123r decision to obtain an estimate for inspection of the church bells by Mr Holloway of Shoreham, 1883;

ff.138-139 minutes concerning the celebration of the Queen's Jubilee, 1887;

f.139r decision to accept estimate for building a wall in the ditch in Water Lane, 1887;

f.150r minute of a public meeting of ratepayers held to consider a letter from the Sanitary Inspector regarding the village drainage, 1890;

From f.160, onwards, parish meetings are held as well as vestry meetings:-

f.160r minute of a meeting held to decide whether, taking into consideration the Parish Councils Act, the parish should be divided into wards, 1894;

f.161r minutes of a parish meeting (Local Government Act 1894) at which the previously adopted Standing Orders for Parish Meetings were read; the accounts of Older's Charity, Smart's and Amoore's Charities were presented; 1895;

f.174r report of a gift of a flag pole and white ensign for the tower, 1900;

ff.174v-176 reports of parish meetings concerned with lighting part of the parish (according to the Lighting and Watching Act 1833), 1900;

f.182r report of vestry meeting concerning an increase in the church's insurance, and collection for maintenance of the fabric, 1903;

f.183r reference at annual vestry to expenses incurred over repairs to the tower, 1904